Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean
Some orgs here have a no inside passing rule, which is stupid IMO and it makes it a bitch to get around someone that isn't courteous. The key is to get up to A group so you can pass them wherever you want.
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EDIT: I am talking about intermediate and advanced groups here... novice groups I think stricter passing rules do make sense obviously. Also, I am not taking a dig at Tony who I just noticed posted above (Hi Tony) and whose track days I did many of when I was starting out. I am merely saying that more lenient rules can easily help a day run smoother as long as the same logic and sensibility are applied to their implementation and enforcement that you would apply to stricter rules.
In my experience all the no-inside-passing rule does is prevent traffic from flowing. Especially on a tight track.
Maybe a no inside passing at or near the apex of turns rule would make sense. But passing under braking by setting up to the inside, or late apexing and driving out under someone... both of those are simple and common safe passes. In the case of the braking maneuver, you need to get the pass done before the other rider is going to turn in.
There is a very common rider at track days who is just quick enough to be in the way, usually in the intermediate group and on a large displacement CBRGSXRZXRR... they late apex the SHIT out of every corner, starting way outside and swooping in like they are on the street, drive very wide out of the corners, and hammer it in between the corners... without more lenient passing rules this person is impossible to pass for riders of similar speed. And trains of riders all lined up getting frustrated is far more dangerous in my opinion than allowing more passing to be done. This rider, you can talk to them about lines and try to help them (I always do) but often times they are going to ride the way they want to ride. I know you can pit in and look for some empty space... but at a well-attended track day it's going to be an effort in futility... and there is always more than one of "this rider"
Most people make safety claims as the reason for these rules... but most of the multi-bike incidents (of which there are few) I have seen involve a rider crashing and someone else (who was waiting to or about to pass them) being unable to avoid them. At a recent track day I saw this first hand, a very good rider (actually novice racer) was set up to the outside and behind of someone quite a bit slower than them about to out-drive them out of a corner, the slower rider tucked the front and the faster rider couldn't avoid their bike.
I think more lenient passing rules help to minimize these incidents (although I don't see a way this particular incident could have been avoided)